as in criminal
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority
some sociologists specialize in studying the lawbreaking elements of society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code
even something as simple as littering is considered an example of lawbreaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in criminality
activities that are in violation of the laws of the state
an outbreak of lawbreaking plagued the city in the months following the end of the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lawbreaking
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
Both Goss and DeVries agreed senior citizens should notify police if residents have been victims of scams or have concerns before moving ahead with possible lawbreaking schemes.
—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
In an effort to send a message to any minors planning to descend on the Jersey Shore for a weekend of lawbreaking and recklessness, Vaz is vowing to prosecute both the offending child and their parents.
—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
These criminal employers profit from lawbreaking.
—
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
The sponsor of the employer crime bill said that lawbreaking was wrong and the bill is constitutional.
—
Idaho Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Barack Obama pledged to look forward and not backwards, not only closing the door on prosecutions for executive lawbreaking but also failing to hold accountable those responsible for the 2008 financial crisis and the ensuing Great Recession.
—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
While the governor’s benevolent instincts are laudable, leniency here would only invite more lawbreaking, and ultimately, more suffering — in Colorado and beyond.
—
Max Potter,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
But Bondi demanding compliance before any lawbreaking by protesters is the same thing for which her own FBI is investigating six members of Congress who called on our military not to obey unlawful orders.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
Leifman has been leading the charge for a facility that judges could use as an alternative to Miami-Dade’s jails for people whose mental illnesses seem to be the main driver behind their lawbreaking.
—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
Both Goss and DeVries agreed senior citizens should notify police if residents have been victims of scams or have concerns before moving ahead with possible lawbreaking schemes.
—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
In an effort to send a message to any minors planning to descend on the Jersey Shore for a weekend of lawbreaking and recklessness, Vaz is vowing to prosecute both the offending child and their parents.
—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
These criminal employers profit from lawbreaking.
—
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
The sponsor of the employer crime bill said that lawbreaking was wrong and the bill is constitutional.
—
Idaho Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Barack Obama pledged to look forward and not backwards, not only closing the door on prosecutions for executive lawbreaking but also failing to hold accountable those responsible for the 2008 financial crisis and the ensuing Great Recession.
—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
While the governor’s benevolent instincts are laudable, leniency here would only invite more lawbreaking, and ultimately, more suffering — in Colorado and beyond.
—
Max Potter,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
But Bondi demanding compliance before any lawbreaking by protesters is the same thing for which her own FBI is investigating six members of Congress who called on our military not to obey unlawful orders.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lawbreaking
Adjective
-
As Hinkley’s family and fiancée mourn the loss of a young man who still had his entire future ahead of him, prosecutors emphasized the scrutiny applied when criminal allegations involve an on-duty law enforcement officer.
-
Foketi was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats, false imprisonment and misdemeanor domestic violence.
Noun
-
My job is to report in a timely manner on crime, mass shootings, war coverage, domestic and international affairs, pop culture and more.
-
Although federal law requires the VA to publish statistics on arrests, citations, investigations and prosecutions by local agencies, the campus police website has no link to crime data.
Noun
-
Police sources say no criminality is suspected.
-
That case did not involve any allegations of criminality or wrongdoing by Newsom or his wife.
Adjective
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.
-
Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.
Noun
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She is also accused of harassment and violation of temporary order for protection against domestic violence, both of which are misdemeanor offenses.
-
According to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, 51-year-old Mathers of Chesterfield did not appear for an adjourned bond-violation hearing and sentencing after pleading no contest on May 11 to operating while intoxicated.
Adjective
-
To promote the new launch, the duo teamed up on a campaign captured on the streets of Paris by photographer Daniel Roché, with the aim of creating a series of images that reflects the fusion of youth culture and a cool, rebellious edge, Asics said.
-
The last of the rebellious slaveholding states was finally under federal control.
Noun
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The continuation of the Corleone Family saga expands until Michael (Al Pacino) commits the ultimate brotherly sin, but the story’s jump back in time — in which Robert De Niro plays a younger version of Marlon Brando’s Vito — features many of the most iconic sequences in 1970s cinema.
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The movie’s gravest sin, though, might be its very existence.
Adjective
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So far this year, 17 tons of illicit drugs, mostly cocaine, have been seized in the Pacific region – more than three times the total across the whole of last year, according to the Australian Federal Police.
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Australian Federal Police via AP Six others allegedly involved in the importation of the cocaine had previously been arrested and charged with offenses related to illicit drugs possession, police said.
Cite this Entry
“Lawbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lawbreaking. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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